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After being pushed back several months EnergyCloud 2.1 is now available. I just updated my old PowerCost monitor system with this new release and my first impression is that with the overall improvements this looks like it going to be a great tool for monitoring energy usage. The interface can be accessed via a web browser or through a mobile app.

Here are some screenshots of the iOS app and the browser interaface.

I'll update this post in a few weeks or so after it has collected more data.

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After using Blue Line's Energy Cloud 2.1 for a few months now I have found that it is an excellent tool for energy monitoring. After reviewing the data the system collected in April, I was able to make a few minor adjustments and used 20% less energy in May.

The system currently does not allow you to enter a tier based rate structure to calculate the monthly dollar amount so I questioned its accuracy. I sent an email to Blue Line's support team and this was their response:

"We will be adding the ability to add various rates and structures in EnergyCloud shortly. Not being able to add a tiered rate into EnergyCloud does not affect the accuracy of the device. These devices are as accurate as your electricity meter. The kWh totals should line up very close. Keep in mind, these devices are not meant to compare to your exact utility bill because of various factors such as billing dates, and other utility based charges. Our device is meant to help you identify your electricity usage and make changes in real-time to help bring your overall bill down."

Since my utility provider bills on a tier based rate structure I have found that the dollar amount being reported by the system is slightly higher than my actual bill. However, as Blue Line mentioned in their response, the total kWh used is very close.

Below are the comparable screenshots from my previous post.

The system also sends email notifications if the device goes offline as well a weekly and monthly energy reports.